Article By Kevin L. DeWitt

Our lives are lived around the clock…

 

We wake up at more or less a certain time every work day.  We work schedule and base our performance on the amount of time it takes us to do things. 

 

Unfortunately, it’s not just the clock that gives us anxiety … it’s basing our worth on how productive we are … how much stuff we can cram into a given time period.  We have been told by the media, by employers, and even school that if we just finish everything on our to-do lists, we’ll be done. Afterwards, we can finally be happy.  Right?

 

Unfortunately, that time never comes.

 

We always find more things to do, more projects to work on, more ways to improve and optimize. But when we base our happiness on achievement, we are no longer looking at productivity as a means to an end.  It becomes the end entirely.  And it’s not healthy.

 

Here are some indications that it’s happening to you:

 

• Having an inability to sit still for prolonged periods of time while playing games or spending time with friends.

• Accidentally leaving your cell phone at home causes you to break into a cold sweat.

• You feel that saving time is a serious accomplishment.  Clearing your inbox in 60 seconds less than yesterday is cause for a monumental celebration.

• Reading for pleasure, laying out on the beach, and other non time-based activities are considered a sin against productivity.

 

Part of the reason for this obsession with productivity is we think time is money.  We’re told this by practically everyone.  But time is not money … it’s life.

 

Yes, there is a need for productivity and accomplishing goals.  But the problem is that we think more is the answer.  It’s not.

 

We want it all.  We go on vacation to Europe for 2 weeks and try to squeeze in 7 countries.  We go to Disney World and pay extra so we can ride every ride in one day.  At work we try to fit in as many appointments and meetings as possible.  And even at home with our children … we teach the next generation to do the same by scheduling the kids for half a dozen after school activities every week.  All of this is done with the thought that someday, we can relax.

 

But doing more isn’t the answer.

 

With technology, we can get more done quicker than ever before. So isn’t that supposed to result in more free time and increased happiness? If so, why is it that most of us feel that when we’re not doing something productive, we’re uneasy? Maybe the solution is to slow down enough to actually enjoy the things we do, the things we experience.  Perhaps we would all perform better at work and at home if we slowed down enough to remember what we did two days ago, without having to look to our day planner.

 

It’s possible that our search for always being more productive … always squeezing in more activities … is due largely to an inability of being able to find satisfaction in the present moment.  We simply don’t control our time!  It controls us!

 

Here are some suggestions for regaining the control of your time:

 

Maintain a balance.

There are bound to be sacrifices that we must make in life for the future.  For example, sometimes we have to work a job that we don’t necessarily like, in order to make connections to move our way up or pay the bills.  That’s ok.  Just remember to keep a balance between goals that are long term, and doing things that make you happy now.

 

Don’t be afraid to quite certain goals.

Sometimes we need to forget goals that are no longer serving us.  Having the courage to quit a goal that’s no longer aligned with you is okay.  What matters most is that you stay authentic.

 

Be true to your future goals.

Are the sacrifices you’re making now a part of a larger purpose?  Our long term goals should enable us to have more free time to do what we want in the future, not create more stress.  If the stress outweighs the benefits, it’s likely that your goal is not authentic and is mostly ego-based.

 

Saying no more often.

How often do you say yes to a commitment when you really want to say no?  A lot of our freedom is stolen simply because we are unable to selfishly claim ownership of our time.  Realize you can only do so much.  There’s no point in helping a hundred people if it’s making you miserable. If you are over-committing, chances are the people you are trying to help are frustrated as well.

 

Are you happier?

If you’re getting more done, but not making more time for the things you want to do, something is wrong.  The point of getting things done is to have more time for the things you truly enjoy.

 

Slow down.

You’ll enjoy your time much more if you’re not constantly in a hurry.  Focus on what you are doing now as if it is the only thing that exists at this time in the universe. This highly focused state doesn’t just help you enjoy what I’m doing, it also makes you more effective.

 

Be there.

We enjoy the time we spend much more when we’re “in the zone” when, we have completely lost track of time.  We’re not thinking about it, we’re just flowing.

 

Your natural rhythms.

We tend to try to force ourselves to be productive when we feel like relaxing … all because someone decided that this time if day “should” be reserved for a certain activity.  If you do this, you end up working against yourself.  Instead, try to pay attention to your natural rhythms.  When you feel like being productive, go with it.  When you feel like relaxing, that’s ok too.  It’s ok to relax!

 

“For a nation which has an almost evil reputation for bustle, bustle, bustle, and rush, rush, rush, we spend an enormous amount of time standing around in line in front of windows, just waiting.”
-Robert Benchley

 

“The roses under my window make no reference to former roses or better ones; they are what they are; they exist with God today.  There is no time to them.  There is simply the rose; it is perfect in every moment of its existence.”
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

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